Drill pipe wiper



Dec. l, 1959 G. R; HUNT DRILLPIPE wIPER Filed Aug. 27, 1956 2Shesa1'.s-Sheel:y 1

INVENTOR.

G. R. HUNT 2,914,786

Dec. 1, 1959 DRILL PIPE WIPER Filed Aug. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

65,6940 j?. .Ka/vr might otherwise occur if rier ring4 and an i i,2,914,786 rnuIiLrrPEWuunz' N GeraldR:v Hunt, Long Beach, Calif. yApplication `Anglian, 195,6, serial No. 695,365, yz'olarms. (Cl.v1`sz1o) Y This invention `relates to a wiper to engage act upon partsengaged ina well and is more particularlyjcon'- cerned with awiper foruse lin connectinvwith elementsgib ofa well atthetop or head thereofand'which serve to engage a string of drill pipe engaged or entered inthe well in order to wipe or strip material fsuch-*as y,drilling mudtherefrom in the, course of being pulled or withdrawn 2,914,7e PatentedDec. 1, 1959 ice the upper end of a casing, a rotary unit `and drillingpipe extending through the unit and into the casing, parts being brokenaway to showin section, and a wiper construction lof the presentinvention being shownin operating position. t

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the wiper construe tion that Iprovide apart from the other elements of the well structure and having aportion thereof broken away to show in section.

.1Fig.3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a porf -tion of thewiper construction shown in Fig..2 and taken substantially-as indicatedby line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

on al pipe and apartfrom other elements of the well i Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view of the wiper construction showing it engagedon a pipe and apart from the other elements of the well structure. Fig.v5 isa plan view `ofthe wiper construction provided by thepresentinvention and showing it engaged from the well.` It is a general objectofthis invention to provide a vwiper construction` or device of the`general character referred, to that can be easily and convenientlyengagedA in, operating position, `a structure ,which is hlghlyeifectivefin "operation" and which is both easy andfeconomical ofmanufacture.

i Wipers are commonly yemployed in connection with pipes engaged linwells for the purpose of wiping 1inateral such las drilling mud and oilfrom the pipe as, it is withdrawn, from the well and to incidentallycheck acci .,Thefwiper construction provided by the presentV inven-:tion is adapted to, be used in connection with wellY parts Vand/orielements, and it is intended to serve as a'wiper for 'removing mud, oil,or other material froma string of drill pipe, or the like, extendingfrom. the well casing. The vwell rstructure in conjunction with whichthe wiper .isemployed may` involve elements such as a well casing,

dental introduction of smalljhand ,tools into the well whicht the upperend of thewell isopen and unobstructed. fr v The usual wiper is`characterized :by asimple unitary l vdisc having a central opening orhole therein to slidably receive and pass the drill pipe. The V outerdiameter of!v thedisc isn;substantially` greater than theywell elementsor' the head structure on a casing,z a rotary unit and/ or other likeparts of the structure.

In Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, I have shown my wiper con- `struction.;engaged with elementsof a typical Well structure'employedIduringdrilling operations. For instance,

-I have'shownfa casing-10 `terminating below a rotary unit R; anda'string` Siof drill pipe is shown engaged through the rotary unit andentering the casing 10.

: rture' of thisgeneralcharacter and `is shown as involving axbase 11supporting a table 12 through a suitable bear- The rotary unit R,illustrated, shows a typical strucying-13while a master bushing 14 iscarried in the table with or between which the wiper is engaged. The`outer* peripheral portion of theordinary Vwiper, is' reinforced i as bya rmetal ring so that when-itv is in usefitawill not collapse and canoat freely `between the` well parts between which it is located withoutbeing fixed or attached to anyone or more of the well parts. f

It frequently happens that ordinarywipers become `worn or torn,rendering them ineiective, with` theresultvthat establishing acentral-opening 15 concentric` with the casingf10 Theiop'eninglS istypical'of the opening found in rotaries and is`designedtoI receiveslip! bushings which theyffmay have to be replaced during, the operationof pulling a drilling string from a well. Furthermore, the ordinarywiper constructionas above described, involves a large quantity ofmaterial which makes it a costly item to manufactureand replace. l

It is a gene'raliobjectof my invention toprovide a wiper constructiontobe related to one or more elements of a well structure and includingan outer reinforced carinner expendable work;l engaging wiper element. li

A furtherobjectof this invention is to `provide awiper A construction ofthe general character referred to having a novel reinforced means forthe carrier ring and a novel coupling means between the carrier ring andthe wiper element. t

` rubber.

are distinguished from master'bushings 'by beingrelatively light,simple, andeasy tohandle and in practice,

the 'slip bushings, `fnot shown in' the drawings, are fre-` quentlyarranged in and removedfrom the table, whereas the 4master bushing 14 iscommonly left in the table over long periodsof time. o f

The wiper construction` W provided by the present invention is shown asincluding an annular carrier ring Ztl and'a disc-shaped wiper element 21carried by the ring i 20 anduhaving a central'opening 22 passing thepipe S.

Inpractice, the ring 20 and wiper 21 may belvformedfpoff' It is toberunderstood that in referring tothe 4iriiig'jZlltandwiper 21 beingformed of rubber, it is inltende'dl to include rubber substitutes orrubber-like compositions, In practice, 1 preferl to employ a so-calledsynthetio rubber" which `is notappreciably affected by oil or 'thelike.` lThis type of material is desirable in the situa- It s anotherobject of this invention tol provide-a-carl rier ring which is strongand durable and a wiper element which is of minimum size` and is suchthatv it is light, simple, and inexpensive of manufacture.

The various objects and features of my'invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a typicalpreferredform"`and application of my invention,tthroughout which descriptionreference is made tothe accompanying drawings, 'in which;

lL isga-jview illustrating the top'ofa nivell showing f1 tionillustrated in thatthe material wiped fromthe` string- 'is often ladenwith oil;

In Yaddition to the above, the wiper constructionV fprovided by thepresent inventionfurther includes a novel rreinforcingmer-ms 23 for thecarrier ring 20 and a novel coupling means 24l releasably securing thewiper element Z1 in working relationship with the carrier ring.`

lThe mounting ring 20 that I provide ris a simplematerial body of rubberfreely engaged around vthe string `S of drill pipe to occur between therotary unit R and the casing'llo. The ring 20 is shown as having flathorizonvtally-,disposed top and bottom walls`25 and 26' and subi.`stantially vertically disposed inner and outerperipheral walls-27 and28. The ring is larger in outside Ydiameter effective life of thecarrier ring.

' tion andthe string S is being elevated or withdrawn from the'tubing10,1the mounting ringltleng'ages and is held against vertical movementand displacement byv themasv ter'bushing l14 ofthe rotary unit R.

The reinforcing' means 23 for'the carrier ring 20is adapted-V to providethe ringwith sufficient strength and rigidity 'so that the ring will notcollapsey or yield when 'Y it islurged into bearing vengagementwith'the-:masterw bushing lland in such a"rn`anner as wouldv permitVVthe wipermconstruction W` from being drawn through.; the

opening"15"ofthebushing 'and` out 'of working position.

The reinforcingfmeans 23 is shownas including a at horizontally disposedcoil"29of spring steel rod orrwire" and a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced clips 30 env gaging and holding they adjacent portions-of thecoill29 in fixed relationship toeach other. The wirecoil 29 with theclips 30 is in the nature of an annular corel inthe ring 20^and` isimbedded in'the mass or'b'odyof rubber .c

establishing the ring to`oc'curfmidway between'thelf'top andbottomsurfacesl 25 and-26 of the ring andti'n spaced -position betweenthe inner and outer peripheral wa11s27 and 28 thereof. v

'In practice, the ring 20' is establishedrby a suitable lmoldingoperation and the coil 29 is engagedv in the ring 'Y 20 during themolding operation with the result thatlthe rubber establishing the ringflows around Aand isv bonded to the coil. i In the preferred carryingout'ofthe inven- Ition, itis desirable that theadjacent portionsoftheZ-'wirev or rod establishing the coil29-'be spaced radiallylapartVfrom veach.` other a slight distance' soas. to permit the 35 rubber,during the fonnation of the ring, toy How therebetween. v

I- provide is highly 'eiective tostiienfthe rin'g 20 against collapsingor.y the like and' yet is such that it jcanyield slightly when excessiveforces are `applied thereto. lThis feature/'ishighly significant sinceVit .materially reduces the possibility of the n'ng becomingdamaged and/or-mutilated Lunder severe working conditions and increasesfthe he'clips30 of the means; 23,-adapted toimaintain'the coil"29 in proper coiledcondition, are shown as` simple radially Vinw: a.1dly opening ...andhorizontally disposed {Je-shaped members formed of strip steel andhavingrupper arid'lowerlegs 31 and 32 engaging or occurringadjacent 50the upper and lowersides or surfaces ofthe coil 29. In

the preferred carrying out of thejinvention, the ends of f the legs3x1-fand 32 of'therclips 3l) project radiallyin- 'i wardly fromthe coil2Q a substantial distance andestabllsh a part of the coupling means' 24,as will herein- 5 after befdescribed. Y'The disc-shaped wiperelement 21of my construction,v`

carried by the-ring 20 and having a centraljopening 22` f therein tofreceive and pass the string of drill pipeS, .is

ycharacterized by flat horizontally disposed top and bottom 6 surfaces33 and 34 anda substantially vertically disposed wouter peripheralwall35.

e The central opening 22 extending through the wipen. element 2G isslightly smaller than vthe outside diameter of the pipe S with theresult that it establishes snug-engagement therearound. In practice, thewiper element is A'formed of rubber orv other like material that issufficiently i resilienttoallow for expansion of the wiper so thatjointsV I -of or on the pipe S maybe passed through the wiper Y in the`vcourse of pulling the strings vertically fromA the vwell casing 10. I

The wiper-element Z1= is substantially smaller' inoutside`fliameterthanthe inside diameter of the ring 20 so that: f '1t caribefreely cngagedwithin the ring with substantial jworkmg clearance, asclearly illustrated inthe, drawings.

It will be apparent that thereinfor'cingmeans`r that' '4 The wiperelement is preferably slightly lesswin vertical extent or thickness thanthe ring 20 so that when it is engaged in the ring and is connectedthereto by the coupling means 24, it is maintained in spaced relation-Ship between the top and bottom surfaces 25 and 26 of the ring and doesnot project therefrom where it could become damaged.

The coupling means 24 securing the wiper element 21 in workingrelationship with the carrier ring 29 includes a plurality ofhorizontallydisposedand circumferentially spaced eyes 36 fixed to andprojecting radially outwardlyV fromthe wiper1member-21, a plurality ofradially inwardly openingrecesses 37 in the carrier ring and freelyreceiving the eyes on the wiper member,

15 a plurality of vertically disposed openings 38 through the ring andintersect the recesses, and a retainer pin 39 n is engaged in eachopening to extend through the recesses -37 lrelated thereto andVthroughthe5eyes-36 of the wiper element 21' engaged' in the-recesses. l

; wiperfelement. T jln practice, the wiper element 2l is -'form`edbyasuitable molding operation at which time ftheflugs 1139--areestablishedthereon with the` loops or rings establishing-the eyes-36 engagedtherein.

wardly opening notch 40 adjacentfeach recess-'37 to freely-*receiver thelugs` l139 projecting from the wiper 'felemenh Y In practica-theinner-engaged- -relationship of the A`-l1.1gs'1o'r1thewiperelementinfthenotches inthe carrier v-ring serves-tolfacilitateorientingthewiperelement in the 1#partici-"Kringandalso: serves to interrupttheannular space between the wiper' element and the carrier ring/so asto prevent'or restrict the 'passage-Lof small toolsand the 'L liketherebetween.

40 yInfpractice, the clips 300i the reinforcingrings 23 for `vThe-legs`y31 and 32 ofthe-.clips are lprovided with openings--41whichregister-'with the opening-@S inthe ring to receive the retainer jpins139.i '-With' this relationship of parts it will bebe apparentthatatheretainer pins 39, engagedthrough the recesses in the ring-20 andserving to :'-Lmainta'in the eyes'. 36 fofV -thewiper element'Zll-Fengaged in V-the recessesi37, are coupled with thereinforcing coilV29.I in the carrier ring, through'zt-he clips,- and are not subjecttolbeing-pulled or torn out of engagement with the ring 20' when thestructurev` is in operation.

. '.The retainer vpins-'39 arek preferably formedof soft l .malleablematerialiand.v are provided with heads'42 at one zend. The Ypins-arenengaged linitheringiZO kto extend ';:through. tbe=clips30 kand theleyes-f36, and have their free ends bent to prevent them from droppingout or being 0'= accidentallyv displaced .from-the f ring. In-fthe caseillus- .tratedpathe .openings `.41'1 in the vclips 130- slidably receive..the; shanksgof. the. pins-39 :but :will not pass the heads:.42Lthereofwhile'- the Vopenings-38#inl-thering r20 are of sucientdiameter to freely receive the heads of the pins.

:with-this.frelationshipfoftparts irzwiirbe. apparent that the heads ofthe pins v 39engage-;and :establish metal-to-metal contactwith theclipsi30 and arejcompletely recessed in the ring 20 so that they` arenotsubject tobecoming worn .or damaged when the wiperfconstruction is inoperation, as clearly. ,illustrated inthe drawings.

In the case illustrated,and. to ,facilitate bending the 'free endsofthe'shanks Vof the-pin39,either.for the pur- Vpose of making'them fastor for the purposeof removing them, and also to protectthem from beingdamaged or fromcreating a hazard when thestructure is in operation t Ihave shown the upper or top surface 25 of the ring 20 provided with anelongate recess 45 adjacent each opening 38 in the ring and adapted toreceive and accom- `modate the shanks of the retainer pins 39 when theyare bent. In practice, similar recesses could be provided in the lowersurface 26 of the ring 20 if desired and in which W that I provide canbe subjected to and withstand severe` Working conditions which wouldrapidly mutilate and/ or Wear out thel ordinary one piece wiperconstruction,

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have illustrated how the wiper element 21can ilex and shift relative to the carrier ring 20 in a vertical plane,while in Fig. 5 I have illustrated how the wiper element 21 can flex andshift relative to the carrier ring in a horizontal plane.

In practice, when the wiper element 21 becomes worn or mutilated, it canbe easily and conveniently disconnected from the carrier ring 20 byremoving the retainer pins 39. The wiper element removed can then bereplaced by a new one by simply reversing the operation set forth above.It will be further apparent that in cases where the size of the drillpipe is changed and a wiper element having a central opening of adifferent size must `be employed, a wiper element of proper size can beeasily and advantageously engaged with the carrier ring in thepmannerset forth above and without requiring replacement of the wiper ring.

In the particular form of the invention illustrated and to prolong theservice life of the carrier ring and to reduce the frictional dragbetween the ring and the master bushing 14, I have provided a pluralityof circumferentially spaced upwardly projecting wear-receiving ribs 50on the upper surface 25 of the carrier ring as clearly illustratedthroughout the drawings.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application `of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but

wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that mayappear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of thefollowing claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A wiper for an object extending through an opening in a rotarylocated above a well including, a continuous annular bodily expansiblewiper member of flexible material defining a central opening and adaptedto slidably pass the object, a continuous annular carrier ring of rubbersurrounding the wiper element with working clearance and adapted toengage the underside of the rotary, reinforcing means in the carrierring, and coupling means securing the wiper member to the carrier ringfor limited axial and radial movement therebetween, said reinforcingmeans including a at coil of metal rod and a plurality of.circumferentially spaced clips engaging the coil and maintainingadjacent portions of the coil in spaced relationship to each other, saidcoupling means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced eyesprojecting from the wiper member and engaged in the clips of thereinforcing means.

2. A wiper for an object extending through an opening in a rotarylocated above a Well casing including a discshaped wiper element offlexible material expansible as a whole and having a central openingslidably passing the object, a rigid annular carrier ring surroundingthe wiper element with clearance and adapted to engage the underside ofthe rotary, and coupling means including circumferentially spaced lugson the exterior of the wiper element, vcircurnferentially spaced notcheson the inside of the carrier ring and receiving the lugs, radiallyinwardly opening recesses in the notches, radially outwardly projectingeyes on the lugs and extending into the recesses, and retainer pinscarried by the carrier ring and extending through the recesses and theeyes engaged therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,198,698 Fitzmeyer Apr. 30, 1940 2,392,146 Hall Jan. 1, 1946 2,620,504Slater Dec. 9, 1952 2,666,621 Hunt Ian. 19, 1954 2,667,929 I-Iunt Feb.2, 1954

